A type of fat, cholesterol is lipid is essential for the body to function properly. However, too much cholesterol is bad for the health and can have an impact on the most vital organ of human body, the heart. Bad cholesterol often causes heart stroke and other heart-related diseases. Medical terms used by doctors to signify bad cholesterol include lipid disorder, hypercholesterolemia or hyperlipidemia. Cholesterol level diagnosis is made with a simple blood test called lipoprotein profile or fasting lipid. Following are the four numbers that are taken into consideration while performing cholesterol level diagnosis. These are: Total Blood or Serum Cholesterol This takes into account the total sum of High-Density Lipoprotein and High-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol scores.It is also a good indicator of whether the patient has a risk for heart disease. Optimal – Less than 200 mg/dL Borderline high – 200-239 mg/dL High – 240 mg/dL or higher High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Known as good cholesterol, High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) helps in keeping the arteries clear of blockage caused by low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. It is also known to protect people against heart disease. For this reason, higher HDL score is always good. But, if HDL falls below the marked range, it is considered that the patient is prone to suffer heart diseases.

In Spring, the rate of pollens is high in the environment that can cause different types of pollen allergies. Pollen allergy is one of the most popular allergies that many people suffer from. If you are the sensitive one, who always faces problem in spring season due to pollen allergy, then, of course, preventing this is not an easy task for you. People who are prone to the outer environment and involve traveling in their daily activity might experience pollen allergy. Yes, you will find many medications that give you pollen allergy relief. These medications can’t prevent the allergy for a long time. But, you can avoid this problem by keeping a few tips to your daily lifestyle routine. You might not need to go for a consultation with your doctor and pay high fees to them for providing pollen allergy relief. We have arranged some useful tips to keep you safe from this seasonal allergy. Add Vitamin D to your diet Studies have proved that a person who takes vitamin D in the daily diet, have fewer chances to get affected by allergies. If you want to stay away from pollen allergies, then it is a useful tip that you add vitamin D to your diet schedule.

Has knee pain made your life miserable? It has restricted your free movement from one place to other! Well, this is not just your concern. The same problem is shared by millions of elderly people around the world. Mostly, it is a degenerative condition that is caused by weakness of bones and the complications increases with age. People may experience joint pain as a symptom of arthritis, osteoporosis, strain, sprains or gout. While sprain and strain pain is easily curable, healing degenerative conditions can be difficult. However, that does not mean, the pain is untreatable. Different joint relief measures are available nowadays. You just need to select the right type of reliever depending on the cause as well as the extent of your pain. Ginger and turmeric tea Rich in inflammatory properties, ginger, and turmeric tea can help in healing the joint pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Making the preparation is also quite easy. You just need to add half teaspoon ground ginger with an equal amount of ground turmeric. Boil two cups of water in a pan and add the spices. Simmer the mixture for around 15 minutes and strain it. You can also add honey to the tea and enjoy it once in the morning and again at night.

After osteoarthritis, the second most common musculoskeletal condition that affects a lot of people is fibromyalgia, which is very often misdiagnosed and misunderstood. Fibromyalgia occurs in the form of fatigue, joint pain and widespread muscle pain among other symptoms. It can easily develop into something that causes social isolation and depression. What is Fibromyalgia syndrome? A set of symptoms is known as a syndrome and when they exist together, they point towards the presence of a specific disease or an increased chance of the disease developing in the system. In the case of fibromyalgia syndrome, the following symptoms occur: Decreased pain threshold Sensitive tender points Depression Social anxiety Widespread pain Debilitating fatigue It has been observed that nearly 12 million Americans are diagnosed with fibromyalgia; it has also been noted that women are ten times more likely to contract this disease as compared to men, and they usually fall in the age bracket of 25 to 60 years. Fibromyalgia symptoms The most common symptom of fibromyalgia is constant ache all over the body and crippling fatigue. One of the most common symptoms is feeling fatigued even after a whole night’s sleep. There may be specific tender points on the body that may be painful to touch and deep and restful sleep cycles may also be punctuated by disturbances because of mood swings.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a disease where the affected person gets painful bumps under their skin, mostly near the sweat glands. For now, there is no permanent cure for this affliction, but medical treatments and changes in lifestyle have proven to provide relief as well as reduce future flare-ups. Hidradenitis suppurativa occurs in places where the swear glands are located. The sweat glands are known as apocrine glands, which are located in places where an individual usually has hair, like under the arms, around the groin region and between the buttock cheeks. Bumps develop in these areas . This can also occur in areas where the skin frequently gets rubbed, like between the thighs and under the breasts. When these bumps break, they often leave behind tissue scars. Immediate treatment is required to prevent the infection from developing again in the same area. Hidradenitis suppurativa is a condition that lasts for a long time and can get very frustrating to deal with. It also takes an emotional toll. People suffering from this affliction should seek support from family and friends and maybe even join a support group. Skin conditions can have a physical and emotional toll on the patient and should be handled with care.

For anyone who is over the age of 20, cholesterol levels should be checked intermittently every 5 years to keep a track record of health. The test used to screen cholesterol levels is known as lipid profile, and it is recommended by experts that women above the age of 45 years and men above the age of 35 years should get frequent screenings done to check for lipid disorders. The aspects covered by the lipoprotein profile include the following: Total cholesterol LDL (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, more famously known as “bad” cholesterol) HDL (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, more commonly known as “good” cholesterol) Triglycerides (fats that are carried into the blood from the food that is consumed. Too much of alcohol, sugar or calories in the body get converted to triglycerides that are stored in fat cells throughout the body.) The results of the blood test for the lipid profile come in the forms of numbers. The numbers indicated in the test should not be the only proof to predict the risk of any potential heart problems. They also cannot help formulate ways in which the predicted risk can be lowered. These numbers are simply part of a much larger equation under which other factors like age, blood pressure, sugar levels, hormone profile, smoking habits, use of medications and other factors are also accounted for.

A very common skin disease causes skin inflammation, redness and general itchiness is known as eczema that is also known as dermatitis. One of the major triggers of eczema includes dry skin and dryness, and so preventing dryness is key. Dryness of the skin can be prevented by following a good skin care routine that includes regular moisturizing and general hygiene through cleanliness. Bathing with a mild antiseptic soap followed by good moisturizing are the key treatments to help treat and prevent eczema. Importance of moisturizing One of the most effective methods of controlling eczema is to keep the moisture of the skin intact since it is common knowledge that when the skin gets dry, it can get irritated and flare up the condition of eczema. Dry skin is a result of a lot of factors such as cold temperatures, low humidity, wind, harsh soaps or detergents, excessive washing, lack of moisturizing and lack of warmth. Proper moisturizing and using products best matched to deal with skin conditions like eczema are crucial to controlling this disorder. Some points to remember when moisturizing to fix conditions as eczema include: Any topical prescription medication should be applied as directed before moisturizing. Within three minutes of showering or bathing, it is important to cover the skin with a decent layer of moisturizer to lock in the moisture already present in the skin and to protect the skin barrier.

Have you been taking enough probiotics in your food? Probably, you are not. Essentially probiotics are the good bacteria which line the gut and play a vital role in the absorption of nutrients and support the immune system. Benefits of Probiotic foods Probiotic foods have many immediate health benefits, some of which include: Development of strong immune system Improvement in digestion Evolution of healthier skin as probiotics leads to improvement of eczema. Reduction in incidence of flu and cold Let us look at some of the best probiotic products: Kefir It is similar to yogurt and is a combination of fermented kefir grains and milk. Kefir has been in use since last 3,000 years and is known to contain 34 strains of probiotics. Cultured Vegetables Cultured vegetables are made from fermented cabbage and other such vegetables. Though it is not diverse in probiotics but has a higher proportion of organic acids which gives sour taste and results in the formation of good bacteria. The combination of cultured bacteria is very common in Germany and is especially taken by people who are looking to having a strong digestive system. Kombucha This is an effervescent fermentation of black tea and has been in use since last 2,000 years after it originated in Japan.

A blood pressure test indicates whether a person is suffering from low blood pressure or high blood pressure. The numbers indicated in this test need to be studied carefully to diagnose any potential problems. What is blood pressure? Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood in the circulatory system. A normal systolic falls to less than 120 and the corresponding diastole is less than 80. For prehypertension, systolic is 120-139 and diastolic is 80-89. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Stage 1 systolic is 140-159 and diastolic is 90-99. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Stage 2 systolic is 160 or higher while diastolic is 100 or higher. Hypertensive Crisis(Emergency care needed) systolic is higher than 180 and diastolic is higher than 110. A medical professional needs to confirm the diagnosis of high blood pressure as well as evaluate any unusually low blood pressure. In general, it has been observed that low blood pressure readings and lower targets work for populations like the elderly, African-Americans, as well as patients who have underlying health issues like chronic kidney disease and diabetes mellitus. Categories of blood pressure The American Heart Association recognizes five categories of blood pressure: Normal blood pressure:  Those who have normal blood pressure numbers that fall within the optimal ranges of being less than 120/80 mm Hg have a healthy level of blood pressure.

Among the various skin diseases prevalent today, rosacea is one that is not fully understood.  As a result, the myths around it are too many while the facts and management tips are too few.  In case you have been afflicted with the condition, stop going anxious. The main causes are under investigation, and medical experts have not fully pointed these out for sure. Moreover, there is no permanent cure found for the same yet.  Instead of losing heart though, you can follow these tips to manage the condition better. Don’t Shy Away From Skin Products This is something you have to believe.  You must not simply avoid skin products.  Many rosacea victims thinking that just about any product could damage your skin. The truth is that despite your skin is sensitive, you have to use moisturizers.  Moisturizing your skin is really important and will prevent fares due to the ability to keep irritants at bay. K.I.S.S The KISS policy applies to your skin care routine in case you’ve rosacea.  The simplest of routines could work wonders. Limit the quantity of skin products and ingredients that your skin is subject to. Make sure you use products meant for sensitive skin. This will prevent allergies and skin breakouts.